Nell
is the founder of a successful design firm called Valerik
Multimedia, though you can't tell by her age.

Nell
is 12 years old and can't remember when she did not use computers.
The daughter of longtime multimedia developers, Nell began designing
Websites two years ago using MS Publisher, which she says is a "somewhat
limited creation tool." She broke the limitations of Publisher by
learning HTML and immediately created more sophisticated designs
by hand. At the tender age of 12 she has created hundreds of HTML
pages.

What's
the most exciting thing you have done?
I explored the winding stairway up a turret in a French Chateau
with my dad. It was like an adventure out of a novel, Nancy Drew
or something, we had no idea what to expect. It was scary but thrilling.

When
did you discover your interest in science/technology?
I've been an artist since I could pick up a crayon but I first discovered
the wonders of computers probably when I was in kindergarten, when
my dad taught me how to use e-mail.

How
long do you want to continue your current career/ tech activities?
My company Valerik Multimedia is a sort of short-term thing, for
the next couple years or so. Anyway, computers as we know them probably
won't exist when I'm an adult, although I'll always be interested
in digital art. For my long-term career I'm interested in filmmaking/acting
and illustration.

What's
it like to have this career/tech activity at your age?
Very interesting. I have to answer to a lot of questions about my
career that most people don't. But in my day-to-day life I find
it really quite normal. Although sometimes being a Girl Geek is
alienating, like the time at a Wondercon comic book convention discussion
panel where I was the only person who wasn't a gargantuan, middle
aged lumbering nerd who is laughing uproariously to a reference
made to page 21 of Dark Knight issue #274, volume 1. Luckily I'm
confident enough about my interests not to be intimidated or discouraged
by that, in fact quite the contrary, I was rather amused!

What
do you like about what you do?
Non-stop creativity. I get to make lots of art in various forms
and I feel it has made me a happier person and given me an interesting
edge.

What's
your advice to other girls?
Don't assume that your age is a boundary to what you can do. Don't
say , "when I grow up I wanna [insert grownup job or accomplishment]."
Try and do it now!